Taking care of the ball, in record style

[Uncle Rico]

This is a pretty cool Twitter account to follow if you don't already:

Michael Signora (NFLfootballinfo) on Twitter

They've had some interesting stats on the Pats' run this season, including this one today:

"
New England has not committed a turnover in 5 consecutive games, the longest streak in NFL history
"

Keep it up guys.

 

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

Makes me nervous that they're due for a clunker. Hope they get it out of their system before the play offs a la the Dolphins game in 04

 

[Ring 6]

Protecting the Ball

The Patriots have tied the single season all time NFL record for most games without a turnover, at 9. All 0 are wins.

In the BB era, the Patriots are 52-6 when not committing a turnover.
The 58 games with no turnover are the most in the NFL during that time as well.
Since BB took over in 2000, the Patriots have had the least turnovers in the NFL not counting Houston who joined the league 2 years later.
The team is also:
2nd in points scored
3rd in points allowed
1st in point differential (by over 200)
And 1st in turnover differential at +79 (second is +61)

And of course, first in wins, playoffs wins and SBs.

It seems like the above numbers have an awful lot to do with the wins.

 

[smg93]

Re: Protecting the Ball

If there was ever any debate on Team of the Decade, I think with those figures, it's clearly case closed.

 

[DarrylS]

Re: Protecting the Ball

That is a hallmark of BB, this year we are something like +18 in turnover differential.. which imo is one of the most significant stats that correlate to our record.

 

[Gwedd]

Re: Protecting the Ball

That is a hallmark of BB, this year we are something like +18 in turnover differential.. which imo is one of the most significant stats that correlate to our record.

Agreed. Can't score unless you have possession of the football.

 

[stinkypete]

Re: Protecting the Ball

If there was ever any debate on Team of the Decade, I think with those figures, it's clearly case closed.

Belichick is a big history guy. He won't say it, but you know he covets that "Team of the Decade" label. Wait until Pittsburgh comes to Gillette for the AFC championship game. Belichick is going to be one motivated mf'er.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Re: Protecting the Ball

I think this is perhaps the single most overlooked stat this year and have posted about it a few times. You're exactly right, I think, about the importance of turnover prevention to this team's success.

Even in a 36-7 game, I think you can go back and look at what a different game it might have been if the tweak the takeaways just a bit, like one one each side.

The Patriots have twice as many turnovers in their two losses as they have in their eleven wins. Think about that for a second. It's staggering.

 

[jmt57]

Tom Brady, Patriots Offense Turning Almost Every Turnover Into Points - NESN.com - Jeff Howe

The Patriots are tied for fourth in the NFL in forced turnovers, so the defense has given the offense plenty of opportunities. The offense, in turn, has given them a giant thank-you card by continually punching the ball into the end zone.

Remove the four defensive touchdowns from that count, and the offense has gone on to score 14 times in 23 opportunities (60.9 percent), and they've put up 78 points on those possessions, which accounts for 3.4 points per turnover. More specifically, the offense has scored nine touchdowns and five field goals following a turnover.

What's more, of the nine possessions in which the Patriots didn’t score off a turnover, they've run out the game clock four times, and they also ate up 6:04 on the clock in the fourth quarter Sunday in Chicago. So, basically, the New England offense has only had four possessions all season in which it's done nothing productive after a turnover.

 

[strngplyr]

From ESPN
Check out these incredible Patriots stats

I wanted to pass along a few neat Elias Sports Bureau statistical items pertaining to the New England Patriots:

* The Patriots haven't committed a turnover in five straight games, an NFL record.
* The Patriots didn't allow touchdown since the third quarter against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving until the third quarter Sunday against the Chicago Bears. The Patriots scored 14 touchdowns in that span. Only one other team in the past 20 years has scored 14 straight touchdowns, the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004.
* Tom Brady hasn't thrown an interception on 268 consecutive attempts. On the other end of the spectrum, New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez hasn't thrown a touchdown in 81 consecutive attempts.
* Since 2001, the Patriots have an impeccable 45-1 record when one of their running backs has at least 20 attempts. Their astonishing .978 win percentage is well ahead of the next-best team in this stat, the Indianapolis Colts at 63-11 (.851 win percentage).
* In their past three games when it snows, the Patriots have led at halftime by an aggregate score of 109-0. It's supposed to snow Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

 

[larryo]

Seems like coaching has stressed two hands on the ball. This year I've noticed that anytime a ball carrier or reciever has the chance they have been wrapping the ball up and not exposing it. I'm sure that has helped.

 

[buile]

> Seems like coaching has stressed two hands on the ball.

Need Hernandez to do this as soon as there's contact.

 

[sarge]

Wow,

I was unaware of that.

Hopefully they can do that for the entire post season!

 

[jmt57]

Numbers don’t lie when talk turns to the Patriots - The Boston Globe

Tom Brady has thrown 268 consecutive passes without an interception (the NFL record is 286 by Bernie Kosar). In his last eight games Brady has 19 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. He is 32-4 in games in which the temperature dips below 40 degrees. The MVP discussion should be over.

The Patriots have not committed a turnover in their last five games. They have only nine turnovers all season. The NFL record for fewest turnovers is 13.

Zero turnovers in the cold and snow of Chicago is particularly impressive. Absence of turnovers is the ultimate formula for success in the NFL.

If the Patriots can continue to take care of the ball they could set an NFL record for fewest turnovers in a season.

To get an idea of how valuable it is to not turn the ball over, consider the team that owns that record - the 2008 Miami Dolphins. That team also tied a record that season with the biggest one-year turnaround in NFL history, going from 1-15 to 11-5. While much of the media attention was focused on their wildcat offense, the real reason for the dramatic improvement was that they didn't turn the ball over.

Similarly, the 2010 Patriots get a lot of attention for the points the offense scores, but perhaps the biggest reason for the success is that they are fundamentally sound and don't beat themselves - and at the same time are time and time again capitalizing on mistakes of their opponents.

 

[DarrylS]

Numbers don’t lie when talk turns to the Patriots - The Boston Globe



If the Patriots can continue to take care of the ball they could set an NFL record for fewest turnovers in a season.

To get an idea of how valuable it is to not turn the ball over, consider the team that owns that record - the 2008 Miami Dolphins. That team also tied a record that season with the biggest one-year turnaround in NFL history, going from 1-15 to 11-5. While much of the media attention was focused on their wildcat offense, the real reason for the dramatic improvement was that they didn't turn the ball over.

Similarly, the 2010 Patriots get a lot of attention for the points the offense scores, but perhaps the biggest reason for the success is that they are fundamentally sound and don't beat themselves - and at the same time are time and time again capitalizing on mistakes of their opponents.

We have 20 Int and 7 Fumble recoveries, for a +18 in this department.. for such an important statistic it is hard to find it....

 

[convertedpatsfan]

We have 20 Int and 7 Fumble recoveries, for a +18 in this department.. for such an important statistic it is hard to find it....

No kidding. I found them at ESPN, but only by conference.

2010 NFL Team Givetake Stats - National Football League - ESPN

They're also sortable too, which helps.

 

[strngplyr]

New England on pace to ...

...break the record for fewest turnovers in a season. 9. The record low is 13 by the Giants and Dolphins both in 2008 I believe. Barring a major collapse and 4+ turnovers against Miami in our own place, New England will own another record this season.

I'm not a fan of statistics, but this is actually a statistic that matters.

Tom Brady alone had 12 (8 int, 4 lost fumble) in the amazing 07 regular season for some perspective on how amazing this season is.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Re: New England on pace to ...

Only 9 turnovers is incredible. Absolutely incredible.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Re: New England on pace to ...

That's a really significant stat. And one was that Hail Mary by Brady at the end of regulation against the Ravens.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Re: New England on pace to ...

What's the NFL record for turnover differential?